Vol 9 Issue 2
Focus on: Preconception health, education and care - Insights from across the world
IN THIS ISSUE:
- The science of preconception
- Improving health and well-being before, between and beyond pregnancy
- The ‘Solid Start’ project in the Netherlands
- Tackling substance use preconception
- Caring for women living with obesity
- Celebrating progress in preconception awareness
Author: Jonathan Sher
Author title: Dr
Description: Jonathan Sher, Queen’s Nursing Institute Scotland, argues for the persuasive power of affirming the positive when trying to move the preconception health agenda forward.
Description writer: Dr
Author: Nicole O. McPherson
Jessica A. Grieger
Description writer:
Nicole O. McPherson, Freemasons Centre for Male Health and Wellbeing; Robinson Research Institute, Faculty of Health and Medical Science, School of Biomedicine, Department of Fertility and Development, University of Adelaide, South Australia
Jessica A. Grieger, The University of Adelaide, and the Robinson Research Institute, Health and Medical Sciences, Adelaide Medical School, Adelaide, South Australia
Author: Sarah Verbiest & Erin K. McClain
Description: Preconception, reproductive, and preventive health care are foundational to well-being. Practitioners who provide services to people of reproductive age have many strategies to consider in offering equitable, quality, respectful whole-person care.
Description writer: Sarah Verbiest, Collaborative for Maternal and Infant Health, School of Medicine and Jordan Institute for Families, School of Social Work, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA
Erin K. McClain, Collaborative for Maternal and Infant Health, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA
Author: Adja J.M. Waelput, Connie W. Rijlaarsdam & Eric A.P. Steegers
Description: The national Dutch ‘Solid Start’ programme aims to make a significant change by promoting the idea that ‘everybody can do something’ to improve the early development of children and to overcome barriers. Preconception health is a principal focus within this programme.
Author: Nancy Poole, Julie Stinson, Lindsay Wolfson & Ella Huber
Description:
Preconception care is often missed when providing perinatal and reproductive health care. This article describes four evidence-informed preconception interventions on substance use: 1) brief interventions, 2) group interventions, 3) technology-based interventions, and 4) community and workplace awareness strategies. Using concrete resources and operational examples, actions and opportunities are identified to improve health and social care related to substance use in the preconception period.
Description writer:
Nancy Poole, Centre of Excellence for Women’s Health, Vancouver, Canada; Canada Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Research Network, Vancouver, Canada
Julie Stinson, Centre of Excellence for Women’s Health, Vancouver, Canada
Lindsay Wolfson, Centre of Excellence for Women’s Health, Vancouver, Canada; Canada Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Research Network, Vancouver, Canada
Ella Huber, Centre of Excellence for Women’s Health, Vancouver, Canada
Author: Laura McGowan & Julia McClelland
Description: Obesity is a complex global public health issue with the prevalence estimated to have tripled since 1975. This means that many more adults conceive a pregnancy when living with excess weight. With a growing awareness of the pervasive nature of weight stigma and its negative implications for those living with obesity, there is a need to address weight in a supportive and well-informed manner to facilitate healthy behaviour change in patients and reduce health risks for women and their babies.
Description writer: Laura McGowan & Julia McClelland, Centre for Public Health, Institute for Global Food Security, Queen’s University Belfast, N. Ireland.
Author: Sally Hogg, Head of Policy and Communications at the Parent-Infant Foundation, UK
Author title: Head of Policy and Communications at the Parent-Infant Foundation, UK
Description: When practitioners support parents to create a nurturing relationship with their baby, they are providing pre-conception care because the best way to equip the next generation to become parents is to give them the best start in life. Our perinatal and postnatal care for parents and babies today is pre-conception care for generations to come.
Description writer: Head of Policy and Communications at the Parent-Infant Foundation, UK
